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Raw surveillance video tape provided by the Oceanside Police Department shows three unknown vandals defacing an American flag in a senior community in Oceanside on July 18, 2014. (Published Wednesday, Aug 13, 2014)

Updated at 9:55 AM PDT on Thursday, Aug 14, 2014

Police are searching for three brazen suspects caught on video defacing an American flag in a north San Diego senior community, spray painting “F*** USA” on the stars and stripes.

According to police, the vandalism happened on July 18 at a home in the 3800 block of Rosemary Way in Oceanside.

At around 11:45 p.m., three suspects vandalized three American flags in the neighborhood – a senior community near El Camino High School. Police said the vandals also damaged other private and public property in the area, including in the 3800 block of Mesa Drive.

The suspects – two young men and a young woman – were caught on surveillance video spray painting a flag at one of the homes. In blue paint, the vandals wrote “F*** USA” on that flag. The second flag was tagged with monikers, police said, and the third was spray painted with blue streaks.

On the surveillance video, the two young men can be seen smiling while holding the flag and spray painting it. The girl looks on, also smiling, and appears to take a photo of the action on a cellphone.
After they’ve finished their work, the trio walks away with smirks on their faces.

The Oceanside Police Department released the video and details of the vandalism case for the first time Wednesday. Investigators said the suspects are still at large.

Suspect No. 1 was wearing a black Orioles baseball cap with white lettering, a dark sweater and dark shorts. Suspect No. 2 wore a black hooded jacket, black jeans and a white baseball cap with black brim and marijuana leaf on the left side of the cap. The young woman wore a gray zip-up jacket, black shirt and black and white shoes. All three are described by police as Hispanic juveniles between 16 and 20 years old.

Anyone with information on the identities and whereabouts of these vandalism suspects should contact Officer Munoz with the Oceanside Police Department at (760) 435-4682.